January 2012 Issue

Chancellor Hank Huckaby: We “have hit the ground running…but we have much more to do.”

Chancellor Hank Huckaby delivered his State of the System address this week, focusing on the System’s achievements, acknowledging the challenges and looking forward to what needs to be done to continue to create a more educated Georgia.

Chancellor Huckaby welcomed the new member of the board, Regent Dean Alford and thanked former regent Wanda Rodwell for her service.

Huckaby expressed his gratitude to Gov. Deal and his staff and praised the governor’s $1.82 billion budget recommendation, “The budget recommendation is a good indication of his support, not just for the USG, but also for all education in Georgia. We will work very hard to continue to earn his support.”

Focusing on current and on-going successful projects, which include: the USG/TCSG articulation agreement, campus consolidations and space efficiency, Huckaby praised the board for the articulation agreement with the Technical College System. This was further illustrated by the boards vote to eliminate 253 associate degree programs, 250 of which are being offered by the Technical College System. He also noted the board’s vote to consolidate eight USG institutions into four, which has attracted nationwide attention.

Huckaby also noted that the first phase of the space efficiency initiative was underway and expected to be concluded April 2012. The initiative is studying how current facilities are used and if resources are being used in the most efficient way, especially when considering building new facilities.

Looking forward, Chancellor Huckaby focused on the next 3-4 months with the budget process in the General Assembly, the board’s decisions on institution allocations and tuition and fees, and exploring how to ramp up distance education.

Huckaby also highlighted college affordability. He said, “Affordability is increasingly a big issue for students and families… Although our tuition is low relative to other states, that doesn’t matter if you don’t have the money. We must look at need-based scholarships.”

Recounting Governor Deal’s State of the State address, Huckaby noted that a major focus of the speech was economic development. “We have a major role to play here… Workforce development will be a major focus, both internally and with TCSG. Our challenge is how to define that role.”

Another challenge Chancellor Huckaby noted was international education, especially in the System’s smaller institutions. He noted the importance, in a global society, of students looking beyond the border.